Bananas will last two weeks longer if kept in the best spot in the kitchen (Image: Getty)
Bananas are are the top of many of our shopping lists as they are ideal as a snack or quick breakfast, but they tend not to stay fresh very long as most people are storing them wrong.
It may seem like common sense to store bananas in a fruit bowl, but this is one of the worst places to keep them in the kitchen.
This causes them to quickly turn mushy and black, as most fruits release a natural plant hormone called ethylene gas that triggers ripening.
Bananas should never be stored with other fruits or piled too much since they produce a high amount of ethylene gas and are often the first to begin deteriorating.
However, Stephanie Dulgarian, a cook and founder of , has shared that you can slow down ethylene production so bananas stay fresh for longer by storing them in the refrigerator instead.
Bananas should never be stored in the fruit bowl as it will cause them to expire quickly (Image: Getty)
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Stephanie said: “Have you ever tried refrigerating bananas? If you don’t care about the peels looking brown or even black, give this method a try!
“The peels will turn brown much faster, but the fruit itself lasts WEEKS longer! They stay firm and fresh and they taste delicious!”
It is a common misconception that bananas cannot be refrigerated since it causes the peel to turn black, but this is simply because it is a tropical fruit that is not used to cold temperatures.
The fruit inside will still be yellow and fresh and will stay editable for two weeks longer than if kept in a fruit bowl
However, it should be noted that only bananas that have ripened and have a yellow peel should be stored in the fridge.
Bananas are best kept in the fridge if you want them to last longer (Image: Getty)
Green bananas are still unripened and if stored at a cold temperature they will never properly ripen and develop their flavour.
Instead, store green bananas on your kitchen counter away from other fruit, then pop them in the fridge once they turn yellow.
However, you can also keep bananas fresher for longer at room temperature if you wrap their stem up in clingfilm since this is where the ethylene gas is produced.
Stephaine said: “Wrapping your banana stems in cling wrap will help slow the ripening process and keep your bananas fresh for three to four days longer than if you don’t wrap them.”
The best way to store bananas is to keep them on the kitchen counter at room temperature while they are green. You can wrap the stem in clingfilm if you wish which will further slow down spoilage.
Then once they turn yellow store them in the fridge and your bananas will stay fresh for two weeks longer rather than turning black after only a few days.